1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a labor-saving device for use in loading and unloading heavy ladders onto and from the roof of a motor vehicle such as a car or van and more particularly to a manually or motor-operated ladder support mechanism for transporting one or more ladders resting thereon from a transport position on top of the vehicle to a location alongside the vehicle where the ladders can be readily removed and later reloaded.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Workmen, such as painters, electricians, plumbers, etc. require ladders in their work. When a smaller vehicle such as a station wagon or a van is to be used, it is common practice to secure the ladders to a luggage rack affixed to the roof of the vehicle. This may be accomplished using bungie chords, ropes, or the like. With ladders of any size, it is somewhat difficult for one person to place and remove a heavy ladder from the vehicle's roof. Because of the cumbersome nature of the task, there is a high likelihood of doing damage to the vehicle or doing injury to the person.
In the Spanke U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,136 there is described a retractable ladder rack adapted to be mounted on the top of a vehicle and which includes a curved arcuate rail which is attached to the top of the vehicle. A plurality of roller members are adapted to ride in a channel formed in the rail. The rack is supported on the rollers to permit it to move along the channel so that ladders placed on the rack can be effectively rolled from a centered position on the roof to a position that is adjacent the vehicle's side.
The present invention is deemed to be an improvement over the device described in the Spanke '136 patent in that while it is equally effective in moving ladders from a stored position on the roof to a convenient position along the side of the vehicle from which they can be lifted and carried, the present invention is substantially simpler in its construction and can be produced at a substantially lower cost.